Wyevale Garden Centres released a slugs and snails forecast for the new growing season, claiming that the country has experienced “perfect conditions for slugs to survive the winter in our gardens as eggs”.

According to business data from market research company GfK, UK gardeners spent £11.6 million on products to battle slugs in 2014, in a bid to fend off over 30 species of mollusc.

The Met Office said temperatures were higher than average in December and January. And with no prolonged cold snap, it’s likely that greater numbers of slugs will over-winter.